Tropical Chicken and Brown Rice

image courtesy zatarains

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (Brown/or Jasmine) Rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup papaya cubes
1/4 cup mango cubes
1 or 2 boneless chicken breasts
pinch of ginger and nutmeg if desired

1. Combine all of the above ingredients in a medium saucepan.
2. Cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until rice is soft, fragrant and a bit soupy.
3. Take out the chicken breast(s) and cut into small pieces, transfer back to saucepan
3. Add more water if needed and stir frequently to stop sticking to the pot and add more milk or water if necessary.
4. Cook an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is done

Once the mixture is fully cooked, allow to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a blender or food processor. Puree or chop as needed for your baby's age and texture requirements. This makes a great finger food meal for older babies and toddlers alike.

Papaya Mash

image courtesy thedailygreen

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
1 fully ripened papaya

1. Peel and de-seed a fully ripened papaya
2. Mash or puree as needed for your baby's preference

You may wish to steam papaya chunks for a bit to soften them and enable easier digestion.

Apple Swirl Cake - GREAT Birthday Cake

image courtesy myrecipes.com

Age: 1 year (due to orange juice)

Ingredients:

2 cup apples
3 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (can substitute apple sauce)
4 eggs
1/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups sifted flour
1 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt

Peel, core, and chop apples into small pieces. Mix together with 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine sugar and cooking oil; beat. Add eggs, orange juice, and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture. Beat until smooth. Pour one third batter into greased and floured 12 cup bundt pan alternating with one half apple mixture. Repeat.

 
End with layer of batter on top. Bake at 325 degrees F for 60 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pan 10 to 15 minutes; turn out on wire rack or serving plate to complete cooling. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar if desired or lightly frost with cream cheese frosting.

Bananas Foster

image courtesy grillvillebbq

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
1 whole banana, ripened
½ tsp. vanilla powder
¼ tsp. cinnamon
2 - 4 Tbsp. breast milk or formula

Add  banana, vanilla powder and cinnamon into food processor and blend until smooth. Add milk little by little until creamy texture has been achieved.

Mangos & More

photo courtesy reallyrawfoods

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

1 ripe mango
1 ripe banana

Blend both ingredients in a food processor until desired consistency is achieved. You may add formula, breast milk or water, if needed.

Appocado Sauce

image courtesy greenbabyguide

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
1 avocado, pitted
1/2 cup applesauce

Mash the avocado in a small bowl. Mix in the applesauce and serve.

Creamed Banana

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
1 ripe banana, sliced
1/4 cup light cream
small pinch of sugar

(bananas are slightly sweet, alone, so I would omit the sugar)

Blend well until creamy.

Sweet Potato Risotto

photo courtesy aliveandcooking

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
2 md sweet potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
4 cups hot vegetable stock
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbsp. minced garlic

1½ cups arborio rice (12-ounce package)
¾ cup white grape juice
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1½ teaspoons thyme leaves
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoons black pepper

Preheat oven to 350*F. Peel sweet potatoes and cut in half. Cut half the sweet potatoes into ¼-inch diced and set aside. Cut the remaining sweet potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and roast until soft about 30 minutes. Puree with ¼ cup chicken stock. Reserve.

In a large saucepan heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and sauté onion and small diced sweet potatoes over medium high heat. Cook about 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and arborio rice and cook 2-3 minutes stirring frequently. Stir in white grape juice. Cook, stirring until completely absorbed.

In the same manner add hot stock, ½ cup at a time, stirring until each addition is completely absorbed and stock is used up. Add sweet potato puree, rosemary, thyme, butter and Parmesan. Simmer on low for 10 minutes or until your risotto is soft and all liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste with pepper if desired.

Not Your Mama's Apple Pie

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
3 cooking apples, sweet!
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon water or apple juice
Small pinch of ground cinnamon

Peel, core and dice the apple into small pieces. Add to the lemon juice and water and cook over medium heat in a small saucepan for 20 minutes or until soft.

Mash or puree to desired consistency. Beat in the egg yolk (or infant cereal) and sugar until smooth. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until set. Cool before serving.

Peach Yam Bake

Age: 8m+ (6m+ if made without the flour/wheat germ/spices)

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup packed brown sugar (optional)
3 tbs. flour
2 Tsp Wheat Germ
1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbs butter
4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 cups of fresh mashed peaches

Combine sugar, flour, wheat germ and spices. Cut in butter until you achieve a texture like bread crumbs. Arrange yams and peaches in 1-1/2 quart casserole; sprinkle with butter mixture. Bake at 350*F for 35 minutes. Puree (or mash) until you reach a desired consistency.

Apple Pear Supries

 Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
2 cooking apples, sweet!
1 pear

1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon water or apple juice
Dash of ground cinnamon and nutmeg

Peel, remove core and dice the apples and pear into small pieces. Add the lemon juice and water (or apple juice) Simmer on low in a small saucepan until soft, about 20 minutes.

Mash or puree the fruit. Whisk in the egg yolk and sugar until smooth. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until set. Cool before serving.

Sweet Potato Apple Mash

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
Sweet Potatoes
Apples (sweet, please!)

Pre-heat oven to 400*F. Bake sweet potatoes and apples, together, until tender. Remove peel and puree with a little water until desired consistency.

Menu Ideas Part 1

Breakfast Treats:


Age: 6m+

Cereal with Fruit:
Cooked Cream of Rice, Cream of Wheat or Oatmeal.
Fresh or Canned Fruit, if using canned, drain liquid and make sure it is packed in water, not syrup.

Puree fruit until smooth and mix in cereal.

Blueberries and Yogurt:
Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
Plain Yogurt
Cooked Oatmeal, Cream of Rice or Cream of Wheat


Puree blueberries and mix into yogurt and cereal.

Fruit Cup:
Banana, diced.
Blueberries
Applesauce

Puree all ingredients. Mix breast milk (or other liquid) to achieve desired consistency.

Mixing It Up - Apples, Sweet Potato & Squash

So you've gotten your baby to eat a variety of single flavor foods and you're wondering what's next? It's time to mix it up, of course! Now that your baby has been introduced to a nice little selection of flavors, it's time to make baby's food a little more interesting! Don't worry, it will be easier then you think it will, I promise!

I'm sure you have a few dozen baggies in your freezer of frozen cubes of single flavor purees, waiting to be devoured. Just take 2 or 3 (or more depending on your babies appetite) and allow then to thaw together.

Here are some flavors that work well, although, the options are endless!

Apple & Squash
Apple & Sweet Potato
Banana & Pear
Banana & Apple
Carrot & Peas
Peach & Apple
Pear & Apple
Sweet Potato & Squash

Once you've dabbled in the protein category and accomplished the task of getting baby used to some single flavor proteins, you can start mixing that up a bit, too. Here are some more flavor combination:

Beef & Carrots
Beef, Potatoes & Peas
Chicken, Apples & Squash
Chicken, Brown Rice, Peas & Carrots
Chicken, Green Beans & Potatoes
Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
Lentils, Carrots, Squash & Rice
Lentils & Beef
Turkey & Squash
Turkey, Potatoes & Peas

Please don't hesitate to email some recipes or ideas of food combinations, to us, so we can add them to the list!

And with that.. I give you today's recipe:

Apples, Sweet Potato & Squash

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
3/4 cup apples, diced and cooked until tender
1/2 cup sweet potatoes, diced and cooked until tender
1/2 cup squash, diced and cooked until tender
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
TINY pinch of salt

Combine ingredients and puree until desired consistency.

Applesauce

photo courtesy parents magazine

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

2 sweet apples, peeled, cored and sliced

2/3 cup water

Place apples in water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until apples are very tender. Cool mixture. Puree apples until desired consistency.

*You can also add a cinnamon stick to the boil, for some spice, just remove before puree-ing.

Apples and Peaches

photo courtesy Annabel Karmel

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

1 sweet apple, peeled, cored and diced

1/2 cup water

1 cup frozen peaches, defrosted

2 teaspoons water

Combine apple with 1/2 cup water in a saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then puree until smooth.

While apple is cooling, combine peaches and remaining 2 tablespoons water. Puree until smooth. Stir apples and peaches together.

Peaches & Pears

photo courtesy palmabella's passions

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

 1 small pear, cored, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup frozen (or fresh) peach slices, defrosted

Place pear and peach slices in a blender or food mill, puree until smooth. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed, to achieve the consistency your baby desires.

Purple Apple Puree

photo courtesy parents magazine

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

1 sweet apple, peeled and grated

1 cup finely shredded red cabbage

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons golden raisins

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree in a food processor or food mill until smooth.

Chicken & Apples

photo courtesy parents magazine

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast half
1 medium apple (sweet), peeled, cored and chopped
2 teaspoons unsweetened apple juice

In a small saucepan, poach chicken breast in enough boiling water to cover the breast. Cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink and internal temperature is 170*F. Remove from saucepan and cool. Reserve the water the chicken cooked in and set aside. Cut up chicken into small pieces.

Puree apple in a food mill or mini food processor with the apple juice until the consistency of applesauce; set aside.

Grind the chicken in the food processor and mix in applesauce. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons reserved chicken liquid or until it's the consistency that your child likes.

Baked Apple & Ricotta Puree

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
1 Apple (sweet apple, please!)
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Tablespoon Ricotta Cheese

Choose a naturally sweet apple or else you may have a baby refuse the tart taste! Our suggestion would be Golden Delicious, Fuji, Gala, Pink Lady or Red Rome's.

 Preheat oven to 350*F.

Wash the apple, peel, then remove the core. Place the cinnamon stick into the center of the cored apple, wrap in aluminum foil and place on a baking tray in the oven. Cook for 30 to 45 minutes, until the apple is very tender.

Cool to a safe handling temperature, unwrap and remove the cinnamon stick. Cut the apple into pieces and transfer into a food processor. Puree the apple until smooth. Stir the ricotta into the pureed apple and serve immediately.

Variations: Pear

Recipe courtesy Christine.